Nuclear Power Crucial To Complement Renewables, Support Growth, Ensure Grid Stability

KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 (Bernama) -- Nuclear energy is increasingly seen as a necessary and practical complement to renewable energy (RE) to ensure a stable baseload for the electricity grid, particularly to support exponential demand from high-tech industries and data centres. 

MyPOWER Corporation chief executive officer Asdirhyme Abd Rasib said introducing nuclear power would be an ideal replacement for coal-fired power plants in providing a stable energy supply, which also complements the nation’s zest towards achieving net-zero emissions targets.

He said while the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) aims for 70 per cent of the future energy mix to come from RE by 2050, relying entirely on renewables poses geographical challenges for Malaysia.

"You can go for 100 per cent RE, but considering Malaysia's location, it is very difficult for us particularly in Peninsular Malaysia, where we have limited sources of RE," he said during a dialogue at the Energy Transition Conference 2026 (ETCon26) here today.

The dialogue, entitled “ASEAN’s Net Zero Pathway: Can ASEAN Decarbonise without Nuclear Power?” was moderated by Principal Advisor of The eCEOs (M) Sdn Bhd Raja Datuk Dr Abdul Aziz Raja Adnan.

Asdirhyme said it is unrealistic to cover the entire peninsula with solar panels from the northern border to Johor, which is why nuclear energy remains a highly viable option to firmly support the electricity system.

He added that electricity demand has increased exponentially over the last two years, making a firm power option essential.

To prepare for this, he said Malaysia is currently at phase one, carefully studying the policies, legal and regulatory frameworks, and human capital development required over the next 10 to 15 years.

Huw Williams, from the Nuclear Investment and Financial Stakeholder Relations at the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero in the United Kingdom, concurred, saying nuclear energy remains a vital net-zero baseload for the British economy.

He said that despite a massive rollout of offshore wind farms, nuclear power still provides between 15 and 18 per cent of the UK’s daily power, ensuring security of supply when the wind does not blow, while also meeting the high energy demands of a growing number of data centres.

Echoing the necessity of a reliable energy mix, PT Xpert Synergy Solution chief executive officer Bob Soelaiman Effendi said that nuclear power is a practical solution for any developing nation aiming for rapid economic growth.

He added that simulations in Indonesia proved that maximising renewables alone would still result in a massive power deficit if the country wants to reach higher levels of economic prosperity, making nuclear energy indispensable for achieving net-zero emissions.

-- BERNAMA